


Do It For Him

by IoannaRo



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014), Big Hero 6: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Aliens, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Lots of dialogue, Potentially OOC, Self Sacrifice, light cursing, no one asked for this, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:15:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21582094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IoannaRo/pseuds/IoannaRo
Summary: Tuesday, at exactly 5:51pm, every screen in the city turned neon red.  A garbled screeching sound followed immediately after and words pulsed into everyone’s brains like ocean waves slamming against the shoreline.WE ARE WILLING TO MAKE A TRADE.BRING US THE PURPLE SUITED HUMAN IN 24 HOURS FOR YOUR FREEDOM.OR DIE.
Relationships: Hiro Hamada/Karmi, Honey Lemon/Go Go Tomago, karmiro - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	Do It For Him

“I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation.” Gogo shook her head and paced away from the table, her arms crossed firmly against her chest. The other members of Big Hero 6 sat spaced around the meeting table, eyes collectively trained on the hologram clock blinking at them from the center of the room. Three hours had already passed since the announcement. 

Honey Lemon sighed and massaged her temples. “There has to be another way.”

“Oo oo oo, what if we went undercover? Like, take ‘em out from the inside? We’ve fought ‘em for a month we could totally take them out. Eh? Ehhhhh?” Leaning forward in his seat, Fred stretched to grab Honey Lemon’s arm and twisted to his right to try to catch Wasabi or Hiro’s eyes. His gazed flickered over to Karmi. She stood resolute behind Hiro but her face was completely frozen on the clock. He shifted back to Hiro. “It’s like every comic book arc ever. Fight the aliens from the inside-”

Wasabi pressed his hand against his face. “Not now Fred.” 

“We’ve barely been more than a nuisance to them. There’s no way we can break in and stop them in less than a day.” Black hair swished as Hiro shook his head. Hands clasped firmly together and pressed against his chin, he stared at Gogo. “It’s the only option to keep everyone safe. We’re the _protectors_ of this city.”

Gogo seethed over her shoulder, “We’re the protectors. Not the martyrs. That’s not what any of us signed up for.”

“And no one else has to go through with it other than me-” A thin hand squeezed his shoulder as Karmi made to leave the room. His own hand reached up and caught hers, squeezing it in return. He turned to watch her grab her messenger bag from the floor and exit the meeting room. They hadn’t had much of a chance to discuss anything before the meeting was called and Hiro wasn’t surprised if she needed a minute to herself. He shifted back to the others in the room. “It’s the only option.”

In two quick strides, Gogo approached the table. “It’s not the only option, you’re just too selfish to look for a new angle. This solution is only easy for you.” Her hand slammed against the table, the sound echoing off the metal walls. Everyone jumped. “Stop and think for one second what you’re wanting to do to the people who care about you.”

“Do you think I want to die?”

“With how you’ve been speaking? Yeah, yeah I do-” 

“-Gogo!-” Honey Lemon interjected.

“Because the entire city has known your identity for years and no one has turned you in. No one has told the aliens who you are or where you live. Even Officer Cruz hasn’t tried to arrest you to save everyone. And you know why?” She paced over to Hiro’s side of the table and jabbed a finger in his face. “Because the entire Goddamn city trusts you and your big brain to come up with something to save everyone, including yourself.

“You are the only person who has given up.”

“I’m the only one being realistic-”

“ENOUGH!” Honey Lemon stood up quickly, her chair toppling over. Tears pricked at her eyes as she deliberately stared at each person at the table, one after the other. “It is late and everyone is tired and emotional.” She wiped a hand across her cheek to catch the tear that fell. “We’ll meet again in the morning when we all have a clearer head and figure it out then.”

“But-”

“But nothing. If we meet at 8 that should give us plenty of time to come up with a solution-”

“That will leave approximately 10 hours until the deadline.”

“Yes, thank you Baymax. That gives us ten hours. We don’t have to be done fighting them by their deadline, as long as we’ve handicapped them in some way.” Honey Lemon stepped back and righted her chair from where it fell on the ground. Pushing it into the table, she addressed the group. “We won’t get anywhere as we are now. We’ll save it for the morning when we’re all a little more level-headed. Agreed?”

A mumbled chorus of agreement rose up.

Wishing the team a good night, Honey Lemon placed a comforting hand on Hiro’s arm as she left. Gogo followed her girlfriend, bumping into Hiro’s chair as she went. Her arms remained crossed, but her face had relaxed some. As they left, Karmi stopped them at the door. She nodded at the mention of the meeting time and entered the room. Fred left next, trying for a casual fist bump as he passed which turned into a pat when Hiro didn’t even budge. Even with three less people, the room felt suffocating, the air stagnant and thin.

Wasabi kept his gaze trained at the clock as he spoke. “We’ll figure something out. Don’t give up just yet.” He turned to the oversized robot as he stood, “Baymax, promise you’ll keep Hiro from doing anything reckless until tomorrow morning?”

“I am not capable of making promises, but I will alert everyone if Hiro is acting ‘reckless’.”

“Thanks, Baymax. Night you two.” He nodded at Hiro and Karmi and then left the room.

Karmi waited for the door to close before she moved. Stepping forward to stand against the back of the chair, she placed her chin on Hiro’s shoulder and snaked her arms around him. Hiro melted into the hug and leaned his head against hers. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“So I was thinking,” She pulled her head away a little bit so she could see his face as she spoke. “Why don’t we go stay at Aunt Cass’s tonight? We haven’t visited in forever and I’m sure she wants to see you. You might actually get some rest if we’re home.”

“Our apartment is home, and there’s no way I’m getting any rest tonight. Meeting in the morning just gives me more time to prep for when I’m gone. I’m better off staying here to focus.”

Her arms tightened around him. “Please? For me? For Cass? Just spend the evening with us and then you can work in the garage?”

The rejection paused halfway in his mouth. He thought of the nights after Tadashi’s death when he would find his Aunt crying into some drink with only the bathroom light on. And now she was going to lose him too. He owed her a proper goodbye. 

Which was to say nothing about the girl currently wrapped around him. She was stronger than he had given her credit for when they were kids. Strong enough to carry them both when he needed it and strong enough to think about what Aunt Cass needed when her world was just as upside down as anyone else’s. He stared at the bare hands clasped over his chest.

There was a small box hidden in the back of his side of the closet; inside a shoebox full of mementos to protect it. They were mostly things of Tadashi’s that he hadn’t quite let go of yet. Karmi avoided it out of respect but would she find it when she and Cass cleaned out his things? Would it make the grieving process harder? Would she be angry?

Reaching up, he covered both of her hands with his and squeezed. “Okay. Let’s go see Aunt Cass.”

“Thank you.” She whispered and kissed his temple. Pulling away, Karmi nudged him out of his chair and through the door. “C’mon Baymax, you too.” She called over her shoulder.

“I am coming. Oh. Karmi, it appears I knocked over a stack of your reading materials for your research and notebooks-”

“Just ignore them Baymax, I’ll come back for them later.” The two exited out the main doors and Hiro approached the apple red motorcycle waiting on the side road. 

Hiro tipped his head as he started the motorcycle. “C’mon buddy, time to go home.”

* * *

The ride seemed to stretch on endlessly. The lights of downtown San Fransokyo blurred from one neon sign to the next and a quiet hush sat over the city, amplifying the roar of the engine. The sound vibrated through Karmi, filling her mind and blocking out her thoughts. All but one. Only a handful of people were out and about and they all froze at the sight of them, their stares heavy and sad as they passed. _Stop acting like this is a funeral procession,_ she thought and clung tighter to Hiro’s shirt.

Looking up, she could see where the mother ship was hovering in the sky. There were no lights, no body of metal to be seen. Just an absence of stars. Like someone forgot to paint a quarter of the night sky.

She stared at the nothingness that signified the spacecraft until the Lucky Cat Café came into view. The door to the garage was already open and Cass stood outside, watching them approach. Hiro turned his head slightly so she could hear him, “Did you tell her we were coming?”

She leaned forward, placing her face next to his ear. “Told her I would try to convince you. Didn’t know she would be waiting.” Hiro nodded and slowed down. As soon as the bike was parked, Cass pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

“Why do I feel like it’s been forever since you’ve been home?”

“You can blame Hiro for that one,” Karmi replied, lifting Baymax’s case from the back of the vehicle. “I’m going to go get Baymax’s charging station set up upstairs and put my bag down. Anything you need me to do for dinner, Aunt Cass?” The older woman loosened her grip on Hiro before shooing Karmi upstairs, telling her all that was left was to set the table. 

As soon as Karmi disappeared upstairs, Cass turned to Hiro. Her expression dropped, “Absolutely not.”

He stepped back, his arms held up in defense. “I haven’t even said anything!”

“Oh, Hiro,” she pulled him back in for another hug. Then squeezed. “I didn’t stress eat every day for years not to know what you’re thinking.” Giving one last tight squeeze, she released him and then stepped over to close the garage door. No one spoke as the door rattled down, clicking into place with a thunk. Silence filled the garage, the briefest echoes of the city filtering through the door and acting as the only sound. Cass approached him slowly, arms outstretched like he was a scared animal who might run. “Do you really have to do this?”

“I’m sorry Aunt Cass, but it’s the only way to keep everyone safe.”

“What did the others say?”

“They’re against it, but it’s my choice in the end. I can’t risk it. I just can’t.”

“Ok.”

Hiro blinked incredulously. “Ok? You aren’t- you’re not mad? You aren’t going to try to stop me?”

She moved past him towards the entrance to the rest of the house. He followed her slowly. “Oh, I’m furious. Broke a dish when I realized what you were going to do after Karmi messaged me. If you were still a kid, I’d barricade you in your room and chew you out for even thinking about it. But you’re not a kid. You’re an adult and you’re allowed to make horrible decisions and I’m not going to waste my last night with you trying to convince you.” They stepped into the kitchen where a roast was sitting on the counter. Off to the side, they could hear Karmi rummaging in the bathroom with the door closed. “I’ll leave it to those who have the power to change your mind.”

* * *

“I’m going to turn in for the night.” Cass spoke softly as she stood up from her chair and grabbed the dishes off the table. “I’ll have breakfast ready for you guys when you wake up.”

Karmi followed after and gave her a hug once the dishes were in the sink. “Thanks Cass, for everything.” 

“Of course. Don’t stay up too late, you both will need your sleep for tomorrow.”

“Sure thing.” The older woman nodded before stepping around to force her nephew into a final hug. The two wished her a good night when she left. 

Hiro sat lost in thought at the table. _I need to increase the density of the plasma for Wasabi’s shield. He would also benefit the most from mag-gloves. And HL still needs full body armor. Gogo mentioned she would need new-_ He blinked. A mug of steaming hot chocolate was shoved in his face.

“Cocoa for your thoughts?”

He chuckled and accepted the beverage. “Just planning the upgrades I can make tonight for the team. I want to make sure they’ll be okay when I’m not here.”

Sitting beside him, Karmi slurped at her own hot chocolate. “If you can do this tonight, then don’t we stand a chance fighting tomorrow?”

Shaking his head, Hiro knocked back his cocoa in one go. The liquid burned the roof of his mouth and his throat but warmed him from the inside out. The chalky aftertaste made him cough. “None of the stuff I can do tonight will be enough. This isn’t a battle they can win in a day. It’ll take months of whittling the aliens down like we have been and that’s assuming the mothership doesn’t leave when it has me- which I’m hoping it will.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Most of the lights in the shop were off, the light above the sink being the primary source and giving the room a golden glow. Karmi sipped slowly at her cocoa, drawing out each sip like it was precious. Pulling out his phone, Hiro started jotting down a task list, included in which was what he had the materials to do tonight and what he would have to leave instructions for the team to follow later. They sat like this for another half hour before Hiro stood up, ready to start. 

As soon as he did, he stumbled, his limbs heavy like weights. He propped himself against the table and rubbed his face, trying to clear his head from where it suddenly felt foggy. “God, why am I so tired all of a sudden?”

Karmi immediately stood up and grabbed his arms. “You’ve had a long day. Your body’s telling you to rest.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t have time to rest.” He shook his head and tried to stand upright again. 

Pushing on his arms, Karmi turned him so she could look him in the eyes. “Hiro, you’re dead on your feet. Please, just, come lay down with me. Just an hour and then you can get to work. You know you’ll feel better.”

He wanted to argue. Wanted to tell her that he hadn’t been tired until a few minutes ago. His brain had been humming, ready to work through the night, but now, now he could hardly keep his eyes open. “Just an hour.” Karmi started walking him upstairs.

* * *

The alarm blared from the phone. Karmi snatched it from the desk and shut off the alarm then gently snaked her other arm out from underneath Hiro’s side. Sliding out from under the covers, Karmi perched on the edge of the bed and checked the time on her phone. _4:00 a.m._ Glancing over at Hiro, she smiled. He was curled up in a ball like a kitten, his back facing her. She couldn’t see his face from here, the erratic mess of his hair blocking the way, but she could hear his slow, deep breathes. His chest rising and falling with each.

Standing up, she made a beeline for her bag and flipped open the flap. She realized her mistake too late as the metal buckles clinked against the hardwood floor. Pretending to ignore the inflating sound from behind her, she pulled each item out of her bag and laid it on the floor. 

The shutters of Baymax’s eyes clicked open and the robot stepped out of the charging dock. He approached Hiro then waddled to stand over Karmi, tilting his head as he stared at the items on the ground. “Karmi, I detect unusually high levels of Benzodiazepine in Hiro’s system.”

“I know.”

“Hiro is not prescribed Benzodiazepine. The level is not lethal, but it is not recommended. Shall we alert Aunt Cass?”

“That’s not necessary, Baymax.”

“Given his state from yesterday, Hiro would not have willingly taken sedatives.”

“No, he wouldn’t of Baymax.”

“Why did you do it?”

She pulled her head through the top of the body suit, and dropped the material, letting it hang on her skin. She had grabbed one of his older ones and it was somehow still too big. _Can’t believe I used to make fun of him being small._ The chest plate came next and clicked into place around her frame. Then the boots. Then the gauntlets. “He needed to rest. I just helped him realize it.”

“You provided three times the dose prescribed for Aunt Cass.”

Turning to face the large robot, she looked up and smiled sadly. “Couldn’t have him waking up too soon, now could I?” Karmi walked over to the bed, leaned over, and placed a kiss to Hiro’s temple. “Bye love,” she whispered. The tears were cold as they streamed down her face and Karmi was careful to straighten up before they fell. Wiping her eyes, she placed her phone back on the desk before picking up his, then walked back to her bag and grabbed the helmet, securing it over her head. 

“I’m doing this for him. It’s the best way to protect him. You understand, don’t you?”

“I am a personal healthcare companion. I cannot understand.”

“I know Baymax. I know.” She stopped at the top of the stair and looked back at the bot. “I am satisfied with my care, so please, take care of him for me.” As she descended the stairs, she could hear his steps following after her.

“Will you stop me?”

Baymax blinked.

“No.”

* * *

The lights of San Fransokyo blurred more on this ride than they ever had before. She sobbed into the helmet, then pushed the motorcycle to go faster.

* * *

It felt like he was being jabbed by a pillow. 

“Hiro. Hiro. Hiro. Hiro.”

He groaned, his mind foggy from sleep and his eyelids unwilling to open. _How long was I out? Where’s Karmi?_ “What is it buddy?”

“Karmi is gone.”

His eyes snapped open as he flung himself into a sitting position. Frantically, he searched the empty room. Jumping out of bed, he started calling out. “Karmi? Karmi?” Her bag was open and empty by the staircase. He raced to check every room in the house. It felt like something was clawing at his throat when he only had the garage left. He flicked on the light. His motorcycle was gone. He took the stairs two at a time to get back to his room. 

“I’m calling SkyMax.” Shifting Karmi’s phone to the side, Hiro searched for where he left his device before falling asleep. _Not on the desk. Not in the bed. Not on the floor._ “Baymax call SkyMax, we have to catch up with her.”

“I have already done so. The SkyMax with my suit is on his way. Your SkyMax, however, is unresponsive.”

“Unresponsi- god DAMN IT!” He pulled at his hair. “When would she have- wait.”

He approached Baymax slowly, like the answer would physically hurt him. “Show me the last time you saw Karmi.” The bot’s chest lit up with the video. 

Brown eyes hardened as his face scrunched. Rage burned in his chest. For a moment, Hiro felt like he was on fire and then just as suddenly felt like a hole had opened up and swallowed him whole. “Call the team. We’re leaving.” 

* * *

Flying without his suit was miserable. Baymax had to hold him like a child and the cold morning air bit at his face and hands. In the distance, the sun had just begun to peak out from the horizon line, lighting the sky with streams of pink and orange. 

As they approached the designated meeting location, his blood ran cold. A daughter ship had separated from the main body and was flying to the ground. As soon as Baymax landed at the edge of the field, Hiro jumped out of his arms and sprinted towards the figure in purple. 

“Karmi!” She hadn’t heard them approach, focused instead on the ship and the armed creatures stepping out of it. She whipped around at his voice. The helmet covered her face completely. He was so close. Almost there. 

The shadows under the helmet moved. She was saying something, but he couldn’t hear it. Tears had frozen on his face during the flight but new ones poured out with a vengeance as he got closer. He would tell her he was sorry. Sorry for almost doing this same thing to her. Sorry for making her feel like this was the only choice. He shouted again, the words ripping themselves from his throat. “KARMI!”

A blue halo surrounded her from behind.

And then she was gone.

Vaporized.

And he collapsed where she once stood.

“KARMI!”


End file.
